The Perfect Weekend in Dublin

When time is short, spend it well in Dublin—here are a few tips for planning the perfect weekend in the Irish capital.

Dublin is getting a shakeup—from the influx of bright young minds establishing their place in the tech world, to the launch of funky cafés and restaurants dispelling the notion that Irish cuisine is a starchy bore. Whatever your plans in the city, it’s likely you’ll be waylaid by the sight of an impromptu market, or the sound of a Once and future folk-rock star spilling out of a pub—and, of course, by the input of a talkative barman or impassioned local. There’s a reason Dublin was voted one of the friendliest cities in the world.

Checking In

You can't go wrong with The Dean Hotel , one of the newest hotels in the city, now packed with stylish Dubliners. It’s a paradise for party lovers with a resident DJ in the lobby on weekends, and a perpetually hopping bar on the top floor. The rooms are decked out with funky touches like miniature Smeg fridges, record players and chic padded headboards. Another great option: The Marker is in the middle of Dublin’s "Silicon Docks," right by Google's European headquarters, a rapidly emerging hot spot within the city. It has a sleek, edgy feel, hosting Le Drunch each Sunday, an afternoon hybrid of lunch and dinner with cocktails, music, and comfort food. There’s also a slick rooftop bar and blissful infinity pool.

DAY ONE: Explore Both Sides of the Liffey

The River Liffey flows through the center of Dublin, dividing the city into the Northside and the Southside. It’s easy to spend a day crossing back and forth (pausing to Instagram the Ha’penny Bridge, of course) but give yourself a leisurely day to explore the Northside.

Start in Dublin City Gallery the Hugh Lane, home to an impeccable collection of Irish and international contemporary art. Spend a few minutes in the stained-glass room by the entrance, where you'll find The Eve of St. Agnes,a work by Harry Clarke depicting the John Keats poem of the same name. Fourteen panels tell the story of forbidden love as ribbons of cobalt blue are refracted onto the floor. Continue through the gallery to see Francis Bacon's studio, which was painstakingly disassembled in London and pieced back together here. It now sits frozen in time and extraordinarily shambolic, with dusty boxes, easels, and fragments of the work from a chaotic genius scattered throughout. Fitting Bacon quotes line the nearby walls: "I feel at home here in this chaos because chaos suggests images to me."

Alamy

The Hugh Lane gallery has a world-class collection of modern and contemporary art.

From Hugh Lane, grab a taxi to Glasnevin Cemetery Guided tours weave between the headstones as the stories of the souls buried there are told. The guide leads you down into the crypt of Daniel O’Connell, the Irish nationalist leader known as the Liberator. It’s an intimate experience—you can reach an arm through to touch his casket if you're so inclined, and the coffins of his family members are stacked in a corner room. When the tour is finished, walk through the cemetery to the National Botanic Gardens and spend some time in the domed greenhouses, where a collection of cacti huddle together, seeking comfort in a strange land.

Finish up the day with dinner in Stoneybatter. L. Mulligan Grocer is one of the few spots in Dublin where you won’t find Guinness on tap, but you will find rare brews such as Trouble Galaxy, an IPA from Kildare, amid global standards like Hoegaarden. If you’ve never had a Scotch egg, this is the place to fill that void. A soft-boiled egg encased in rare-breed pork, surrounded by a golden shell of crispy breadcrumbs, is the perfect pub snack. Boqueria is a relatively new tapas restaurant quickly building a cult following. Inspired by Mercat de La Boqueria in Barcelona, the menu is filled with fusions of Irish and Spanish cuisine (Barrel Chips are a spin on patatas bravas with chunks of potato, spicy tomato, and roasted garlic mayo) though you’ll want to try everything on the menu.

DAY TWO: Meeting House Square

It may have improved over recent years, but Temple Bar is still far from salubrious in the evening hours. Better, then, to visit during the day. On Saturdays, the Temple Bar Food Market is held through an archway in Meeting House Square. Pick up green juice from Zestie’s or a sticky Danish pastry, but don’t leave without chocolate from Bean and Goose. These Irish chocolatiers produce beautifully eccentric bars and barks that incorporate smoked salt, chili, and homemade candied peel. Keep an eye out for the Wildflour Bakery, whose individual cakes are as far from a saccharine cupcake as you could get—try the roasted white chocolate, nut, and whiskey cake, topped with a pipette of Teeling Small Batch Whiskey.

While you’re in Meeting House Square, pop into the Gallery of Photography for an ever-changing and well-curated rotation of exhibitions. You’re also seconds away from the Irish Film Institute, where you’ll find regular screenings of indie Irish films as well as excellent festivals and events. If you need to escape a rainy afternoon, you won’t find a better spot.

Cross over Dame Street and head down South Great George’s Street—if you’re feeling peckish then you won’t be short of great restaurants to try. Restaurant 777 offers up excellent Mexican food and a dizzying tequila menu, or walk along Exchequer Street to Fallon & Byrne. This food hall is a Dublin institution, and a great spot for a quick bite. If you're looking for a more substantial meal, the restaurant upstairs is an elegant reprieve from the bustle below; and you wouldn't expect it, but the burger here is one of the best in town, oozing sharp, mature cheddar cheese and topped with thick slices of smoked Irish bacon.

DAY THREE: Brunch, Bogs & Beer

Dublin isn’t immune to the buzz of brunch, and there are plenty of spots around town that do it with style. Sister Sadie is just off Camden Street and serves up dishes with a strong Middle Eastern influence. Try the gently spiced home-baked beans topped with soft fried eggs and a tangy whipped feta yogurt, served with points of sourdough; a pot of Irish breakfast tea is a nice traditional touch. The best news? Brunch is available every day, not just over the weekend. Around the corner is Camden Kitchen, an intimate dinner spot with a menu of typically Irish fare and a strong emphasis on seafood (think line-caught mackerel and wild hake). The winner, though, is the Breckland duck leg—the tender meat falls off the bone, and is served alongside life-changing potatoes roasted in duck fat.

Head over to the National Gallery of Ireland—Archaeology and lose a few hours pottering between the various exhibits. Don’t leave before you see the "bog bodies" in the Kingship and Sacrifice space. These Iron Age remains were found in rural Ireland bogs, perfectly preserved with hair, muscle, even fingernails intact. They're fascinating and disconcerting in equal measures.

Music is wonderfully unavoidable in Dublin, from the buskers on Grafton Street to singalongs in the pubs. If you want to catch a gig while you’re in town, then Whelan's is your safest bet. Open for 26 years, Dublin's mainstay for musicians has seen some of the world’s finest play on its stages, and is home to regular sessions and album launches.